What do you think he’d say if he saw this thread?
[quote]Stength4life wrote:
Brook wrote:
So no.
Be aware that no matter what a nice client you may have, if he wants to sue you for any reason - you will have ended your career before you started it.
I think you have made a mistake, and i think continuing to take money is a mistake.
You are NOT qualified… you should not be charging money from clients! Jesus man! If you want to ‘practice’ fine… and if they insist they pay - only accept it if they put it in writing it is a gift and NOT payment for services rendered.
You are walking on thin ice IME. It is a particularly risky business is the fitness game, when you are training someone who is not used to it - injuries are easily made - especially when the trainer is new and hasn’t learnt the many valuable - experience only - lessons that are learnt over time. Let alone the fact you are even giving advice that you not even training FOR, and wouldn’t be insured for when/if you pass your exam.
How old are you S4L? And also which certification (basic, standard, starter, plus, premier) is it you are working towards?
- I’m going for the standard.I wonder if it would still be wrong to train him even if I did it for free If I got him down to his goal weight and took before and after shots, I really feel like it could help my business.
[/quote]
Standard…
OK if you do it for free… do it simple, don’t do a diet for him (or anyone ever, until you certify for that separately…) and you make sure to tell him that he is a guinea-pig for your business and the truth of what you can and cant do AND get him to sign to that. Then yes, no problem.
Even if you WERE certified, you should have had him sign a disclaimer - you may be insured (not now clearly but when/if you qualify) but it is definitely preferable to get them to sign a few disclaimers.
I always found it helps you get the serious stuff out of the way…
The course looks OK - i looked it up. I lived and trained clients in the States for around a year - and i was going to re-sit my qualifications with the ACSM while there - but i left earlier than expected.
I have studied a few of their books (metabolic calcs. Adv. physiology etc) and they are by far the best choice. I would preferably go with them is the point, but i assume seeing as you are interning that the company is paying for your course?
I still have an eye on that one personally… very good stuff.
Anyway, don’t charge him, don’t over step your education (if you need to check a WHOLE training program, don’t ‘prescribe’ it) and take it easy… just push him hard considering his current limits, progress him slowly as is comfortable with him (not too comfortable - they should like you or anything!) and be honest as you are still training.
There are TOO many bull-shitters out there in ‘fitness-land’ they look great, sound great and will have you doing ‘semi-rotational transverse resistance band lunges’ which look fantastic and really ‘Fitness orientated’ - but they are often clueless (not always, but often).
Just don’t become one of those type of trainers - the industry at the PT level isn’t quite as it seems for a newbie.
Just the opinion of a ‘wise old’ 29 year old (that’s old in this industry!)